Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra take on new conductor
mainPress release, just in:
Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras announce the appointment of Dinis Sousa as Assistant Conductor. Sousa’s appointment represents a significant landmark for the ensembles, which have been solely directed by John Eliot Gardiner since he founded the now world-renowned Monteverdi Choir 54 years ago. This new role was created to give a young conductor the opportunity to work alongside John Eliot Gardiner and his three ensembles, and to be involved in the process of musicological research, preparation, and rehearsing associated with all MCO projects and tours.
Not much more to say. Sousa, who is Portuguese studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Sian Edwards and Timothy Redmond. He is founder and artistic director of Orquestra XXI, an orchestra of Portuguese musicians living abroad.
Wow. JEG must be feeling his age creeping up on him. Keep in mind, once he departs us all, Monteverdi is banished to the eternal digital recording planet. The ensembles will no longer exist without him.
Sadly, I don’t see how the Monteverdi ensembles survive without Gardiner.
There are plenty of period bands out there; what makes MCO unique are the projects that Gardiner comes up with, like the Monteverdi 450 trilogy and Bach Cantata Ring.
My impression is that there has been some degree of chaos among Monteverdi staff recently, so perhaps this appointment signals progress.
I don’t agree with either Doug or Monsoon.
“Recently”? Then you know nothing of the history of the company, obviously. Chaos with Monteverdi is a feature, not a bug.
+1 !!!!
It ain’t recent. It’s eternal…a running joke about as funny as a running sore….
In the immortal words….”No, he never shall be missed….”
With William Christie at the helm, Les Arts Flo brought the world of French baroque to the fore around the world. Yes, there was Mozart etc. but the focus on core French repertoire was so impressive and made the ensemble so distinctive. I feel it is becoming a more general ensemble now that he – as I believe – is gradually loosening the reins.
Succession plans are absolutely essential. JEG has created the ‘sound’ as has Dr. Christie and these can be carried on in perpetuity, just as they are with Concentus Musicus, Wien.
Both Gardiner and Christie are no longer young, and there may be issues of succession and evolution of repertoire. Perfectly reasonable, there are so many more period ensembles than when they started. For instance Emanuelle Haim whom I heard at the week-end in Handel’s’ Rodelinda, brilliant playing with supersonic tempi.
Hmmm… Like Gardiner never had assistant conductors. He’s been having one for every project for 10 years or so already. But different one every time. I only hope this guy won’t be replacing him too often on the podium. I like JEG a lot!
This is a very good cholce , Dinis Sousa conducted an excellent concert of Ligeti , Mozart and Beethoven recently in Lisbon with his ‘Orquestra XX1’ .